Friden Model 132, S/N 2811A
Functions: ASMD, square root, 1 memory
Technology: Discrete-component, delay line memory
Display: 13 digits, 4 registers, CRT display
Dimensions: 470W x 560D x 250H, weight 19.5kg
Manufactured: Friden, USA, 1966
This page shows a selection of early desktop calculators from a variety of manufacturers. Please refer to the separate brands listings for early electronic calculators from Canon, Sharp, and others.
Click on the photos for larger illustrations, or follow the links for further details.
Friden Model 132, S/N 2811A
Functions: ASMD, square root, 1 memory
Technology: Discrete-component, delay line memory
Display: 13 digits, 4 registers, CRT display
Dimensions: 470W x 560D x 250H, weight 19.5kg
Manufactured: Friden, USA, 1966
The Friden EC-130 from 1964 was one of the very first all-transistor electronic calculators. The circuitry was built entirely with discrete components, with internal storage provided by a mechanical delay line memory. The calculator used "reverse Polish" notation, with the four stack registers visible simultaneously on a cathode ray tube display.
The EC-132 from 1965 was basically identical to the EC-130, but with the addition of a square root function.
The machine illustrated was purchased in 1966 by the Australian Mineral Development Laboratories, at a price in the thousands of dollars. It was obsolete and sold for scrap within three years.
Anita 1000 Series, Model 1011, S/N M2971
Functions: ASMD, constant, percent, 1 memory
Technology: Discrete-component DTL, 7 IC chips
Display: 10 digits, Nixie tubes
Dimensions: 265W x 335D x 175H
Weight: 5.9kg
Manufactured: Bell Punch Company, England, January 1970
The Bell Punch Company of England is generally credited with building the first production electronic calculator - the ANITA - in 1962. This 10-key Anita Model 1011 was made in England in early 1970, using discrete-component diode and transistor logic and a small number of MOS integrated circuits. More...
Casio Model AL-2000, S/N 205664
Functions: ASMD, square root, 4 memories
Programming: 30 steps, 14 instructions, no conditionals
Technology: DTL (MSI and discrete), magnetic core memory
Display: 14 digits, miniature Nixie tube
Dimensions: 340W x 400D x 150H
Weight: 6.8kg
Manufactured: Casio, Japan, 1970. (Sold by Remington)
The AL-2000 is a very early programmable desk calculator, introduced by the Casio Computer Co Ltd of Tokyo, Japan, in November 1969. The machine uses a mixture of discrete-component and integrated-circuit diode-transistor logic, and contains two special MSI (medium-scale integration) MOS chips. A magnetic core memory module from Mitsubishi provides 512 bits of memory (yes, bits) for the working registers and the program. More...
Victor 1800 Series, Model 18-1721, S/N 4676-666
Functions: ASMD, trig, log, powers, 1 memory
Technology: MOS-LSI (Rockwell, 6 chips)
Display: 14 digits, 7-segment neon (Panaplex)
Dimensions: 250W x 290D x 130H
Weight: 2.78kg
Manufactured: Victor Comptometer Corp, Chicago, 1973
The Victor Comptometer Corporation sold a range of attractive and functional desktop calculators under the "Victor 1800" label from around 1971.
The machine illustrated is a "scientific" model that was built in mid-1973. It provides trig and log functions and their inverses, powers, square roots, and reciprocals. It operates in degrees or radians, and in common or natural logarithms. There is a single (accumulating) memory register. More...
"TE8000", S/N 55105622
Functions: ASMD, K
Technology: MOS-LSI, single chip (TI TMS-0105)
Display: 8 digits, Futaba VFD tubes DG10R1
Dimensions: 140W x 210D x 80H
Weight: 0.76kg
Manufactured: Unknown, 1973.
Texas Instruments built the first of their single-chip MOS-LSI calculator processors (the TMS-0100 series) in 1971. As these devices became commercially available and prices rapidly fell, it became possible for just about anyone to build an electronic calculator. This TE8000 is a "no-name" four-function machine using a TMS-0105 single-chip processor from 1973. More...